P.: Using Python to Modernize Astronomical Software

We have developed a Python replacement for the command language used in IRAF, the most widely used data analysis software system in astronomy. The new system allows access to the hundreds of data analysis tasks in the IRAF system, retains the package and parameter structures currently used in IRAF, handles the graphics output and image display interactions, and is capable of completely emulating the old scripting language by translating it into Python. We expect the new language to become widely used in astronomy because it combines access to the familiar suite of IRAF tasks with a more powerful programming lan-guage that is also capable of manipulating data directly through the NumPy module. This paper describes the problems we faced, the solutions we have adopted, and our future plans. The entire project has been much easier than we anticipated, due largely to the excellent facilities provided by the Python language and user community.